A deadline is approaching for the company to settle the fine for cellphone jamming(0)

By the end of May, the oilfield company must dispute a $126,000 penalty imposed by the Federal Communications Commission. The fine was issued due to the company's interference with cellphone calls.

The FCC took action on April 9 by adopting a notice of apparent liability against Taylor Oilfield Manufacturing Inc. of Broussard, alleging that the company used four cellular phone jammers to limit employees' cellphone usage.

Officials from the company explained to the FCC that the cell jammers, designed to block cellphone signals, were employed to discourage employees from using their cellphones while on duty.

A 30-day deadline was set for Taylor, beginning on April 9, to either pay the penalty or submit a written explanation to the FCC justifying a cancellation or reduction of the fine.

Taylor officials remained silent in response to phone calls inquiring for a comment.

The initiation of the case occurred when the FCC was informed and subsequently deployed an agent to the company's location in Broussard during May 2012. According to the FCC notice, company officials verified the usage of four cell jammers and the ownership of a fifth cell jammer, which was not being utilized at that particular moment.

In the United States, the utilization of cell jammers is strictly forbidden, and the FCC has implemented regulations that prevent companies from importing such devices from abroad. The FCC confirmed that the Broussard company acknowledged procuring their cell jammers from overseas sources.

The FCC has highlighted the serious public safety threat caused by the unlawful operation of signal blockers, which has the potential to block authorized communications such as emergency calls to 911 and law enforcement communications. Furthermore, the use of cell jammers can also disrupt global positioning system signals.

The FCC documents reveal that Taylor's spokespersons stated that the company made an effort to prevent employee cellphone usage after a near accident that was partially linked to an employee using a cellphone.